waxlermon:Part 2: Classical Shields-Scutum The Roman shield mostly commonly associated with the te
waxlermon: Part 2: Classical Shields-Scutum The Roman shield mostly commonly associated with the term scutum is the one you see pictured above. Though scutum translates from Latin to shield, and thus represents any Italian shield, this article will focus on the rectangular edition carried by Roman legionaries from the late Republican era until they fell out of use (in favor of a more ovular shape) somewhere during the 3rd Century. One of the trademarks of the Roman legion, the rectangular scutum was made to be around 3'6" (42") and typically weighed a little over 20 pounds. It was made of dual layers of wood, bent at a horizontal curvature then covered in a leather or canvas. The curvature, much like that in the Greeks hoplon, allowed glancing blows to be more prevalent, reducing the brunt of the force of an attack on the legionaries arm as well as dissuading enemy weapons from getting caught on the shield. The center of the shield most often carried a metal boss in the shape of a rectangle (long end pointing vertically) with a raised circular center of bronze or iron. Also, a bronze edge would be added to the either the entire rim or just the top and bottom of the shield. This inhibited edged weapons from becoming lodged in the shield after a downward thrust or side swing. The scutums height provided the wielder nearly full body protection at a relatively light weight for the size. This allowed the Roman century (a basic unit of the cohort which, in turn, was a basic unit of the legion) to form up in phalanx like shield wall with the shields overlapping. Different from the Greek and Macedonian phalanx was the maneuverability of the Roman troops. Due to the discipline and lighter weight of the Roman Legionaries (along with an open eared helmet, allowing for better hearing and thus command recognition), the Romans were able to adjust formations much quicker and thus were able to react to flanking maneuvers with much more grace than the cumbersome phalanx. Another impressive use of the scutum in the legion was the curious formation of testudo. This involved forming a shield wall not only to the front of the column but also surrounding and covering above the unit. Creating a near 360° arc of protection, the testudo was perfect for deflecting incoming missile fire while the unit advanced, acting almost as a shell for the century. This was what gave the formation its name, testudo translating from Latin to tortoise. -- source link
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